1By all which we should learn, first, as to be sensible of our own personal and spiritual dryness, barrenness, emptiness of fruit and peace, hard hearts, withered consciences, guilty spirits, under our own particular sins: So in regard of the whole land to take notice of that tempest of wrath, which like an East wind out of the wilderness dryeth up our springs, and spoileth our treasures, as the Prophet complains, Hos. 13.15.16. and to be humbled into penitent resolutions, as the Church here is. If God who was wont to be as dew to our Nation, who made it heretofore like a Paradise, and a watered garden, be now as a Tempest, as a consuming fire unto it, turning things upside down, burning up the Inhabitants of the Earth, causing our land to mourn, and our joy to wither, (as the Prophet speaks, Joel 1.12.) this is an evident sign, that the Earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, Isa. 24.4, 5. Therefore as our sins have turned our dew into blood, so our repentance must turn our blood into dew again. If ever we look to have a happy peace, we must make it with God: Men can give peace only to our bodies, our fields, our houses, our purses, (nor that neither without his over-ruling power and providence, who alone manageth all the counsels and resolutions of men) but he alone can give peace to our consciences by the assurance of his love, which is better then life. And if there should be peace in a Nation, made up only by humane prudence and correspondencies, without public repentance, and through Reformation in Church, ⟨p. 25⟩in State, in Families, in Persons, in judgement, in manners; it would be but like those short interims between the Egyptian plagues, Exod. 8.15.9.34. A respiting only, not a removing of our affliction; like the shining of the Sun on Sodom before the fire and brimstone fell upon it, Gen. 19.23, 24. We all cry and call for Peace, and while any thing is left would gladly pay dear, very dear to recover it again. But there is no sure and lasting purchase of it, but by unfeigned Repentance and turning unto God; this is able to give peace in the midst of war. In the midst of storm and tempest Christ is sufficient security to the tossed ship, Matth. 8.24, 27. This man is the peace even when the Assyrian is in the Land, Mic. 5.5.
1By all which we should learne, first, as to bee sensible of our owne personall and spirituall drinesse, barrennesse, emptinesse of fruit and peace, hard hearts, withered consciences, guilty spirits, under our own particular sinnes: So in regard of the whole land to take notice of that tempest of wrath, which like an East winde out of the wildernesse dryeth up our springs, and spoileth our treasures, as the Prophet complaines, Hos. 13.15.16. and to be humbled into penitent resolutions, as the Church here is. If God who was wont to be as dew to our Nation, who made it heretofore like a Paradise, and a watered garden, be now as a Tempest, as a consuming fire unto it, turning things upside down, burning up the Inhabitants of the Earth, causing our land to mourn, and our joy to wither, (as the Prophet speaks, Ioel 1.12.) this is an evident sign, that the Earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, Isa. 24.4, 5. Therefore as our sinnes have turned our dew into blood, so our repentance must turn our blood into dew againe. If ever we look to have a happy peace, we must make it with God: Men can give peace onely to our bodies, our fields, our houses, our purses, (nor that neither without his over-ruling power and providence, who alone mannageth all the counsels and resolutions of men) but hee alone can give peace to our consciences by the assurance of his love, which is better then life. And if there should be peace in a Nation, made up onely by humane prudence and correspondencies, without publike repentance, and through Reformation in Church, ⟨p. 25⟩in State, in Families, in Persons, in judgement, in manners; it would be but like those short interims between the Egyptian plagues, Exod. 8.15.9.34. A respiting only, not a removing of our affliction; like the shining of the Sunne on Sodom before the fire and brimstone fell upon it, Gen. 19.23, 24. Wee all cry and call for Peace, and while any thing is left would gladly pay dear, very dear to recover it againe. But there is no sure and lasting purchase of it, but by unfained Repentance and turning unto God; this is able to give peace in the midst of warre. In the midst of storme and tempest Christ is sufficient security to the tossed ship, Matth. 8.24, 27
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